1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process of preparing mineral-enriched cacao-nibs by adding minerals to raw cacao beans for chocolate or cocoa under certain conditions intended to improve the utilization of mineral in the body. Further, it relates to a process of preparing chocolate products (including chocolate confectionary) and cocoa products (including for example, cocoa drinks) by use of the mineral-enriched cacao-nibs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior processes of enriching chocolate, for example, with a mineral in the art have been directed mainly to calcium as a mineral. Among the prior processes, there may be mentioned a method of mixing and dispersing calcium or calcium salt in chocolate (Japanese Laid-open Application 34-143557), as well as a method of adding to chocolate a powder of calcium salt prepared by dispersing calcium as finely divided particles in a liquid followed by drying (Japanese Patent Publication 34-9984), but such methods are merely directed to a mixing and dispersing operation of chocolate with calcium. Further, the form of calcium in the prior art has not necessarily been absorbed well in the body, resulting in disregard of the utilization of calcium.
As described in the above, although addition of the mineral to, for example, chocolate for enrichment is well known in the art, the conventional methods relate merely to dispersion of the mineral (for example, calcium) into chocolate, namely to separate ingestion of the chocolate from the mineral. Further, the mineral can perform its function only after absorption into the body, but its inorganic form is presumed to have limitation in its absorption.